Exploding God

Chapter 1176 Song Family New Town

The cursing only lasted a few seconds. Lin Qiguang was forced to hide on the cliff, and he didn't want to be surrounded here. What he needed most right now was enough time to recover his strength and shake off his pursuers.

About a minute later, the red jade coin in his hand had become almost transparent, and his face finally regained some color.

He then slightly tightened his fingers, crushing the transparent jade coin, letting the wind from the mountain stream carry away the powder. He raised his wrist, glanced at the radar screen on his watch where a red dot had flashed, and gave a cold snort.

"He has a nose like a dog."

The situation is not good; the Zhao family's pursuers have already appeared three kilometers away.

A shadow fell over Lin Qiguang's eyes. He only had one-third of the mechanical ants left in his hand. Once they were used up, he would have no more options. Therefore, his top priority was to get rid of those Zhao family "hyenas" completely.

He took a step forward, and in the instant of freefall, he withdrew the battle blade that had been embedded in the cliff face. He fell silently into the abyss, and after falling hundreds of meters, he lightly stepped on the air to adjust his direction.

"Hmm? The sound of water?"

Lin Qiguang's eyes lit up. The sound of water splashing against rocks came from the bottom of the quiet and deep canyon. He quickened his pace and the dark view ahead suddenly opened up.

This place is actually the outlet of an underground river!

As the energy dissipated, Lin Qiguang sensed a colossal creature silently approaching like a ghost in the deep riverbed... He grinned, stopped, and a thin layer of protective energy covered his entire body, causing him to fall naturally.

Splash! A burst of water suddenly erupted, and a colossal creature about ten meters long leaped out, opening its massive maw filled with fangs and lunging at Lin Qiguang. At this moment, its ugly face was finally revealed.

This is a ferocious-looking fish-like behemoth, which at first glance looks like a piranha magnified a thousand times. Its gaping maw is clearly aimed at biting Lin Qiguang in half.

Lin Qiguang sneered, and his falling speed suddenly doubled, disappearing instantly into the giant beast's mouth.

click!

My teeth were practically sparking from the impact.

The giant piranha bit at nothing, then flipped over in the air and fell back into the water.

The prey was inside, and a feeling of fullness instantly followed...

I swallowed it in one gulp, and there was no taste of blood in my mouth. I felt like I hadn't eaten anything at all.

After circling the river twice, the enormous piranha, finding nothing amiss, flicked its tail and continued swimming.

……

Three minutes later, a slender figure landed silently on the edge of the cliff, looked around, and frowned.

The faint traces in the forest indicated that the person had fled into this mountain forest, but after searching all the way, no trace was found. All that was left was this canyon that spanned more than two hundred meters.

On the other side? Or in the abyss?

The thin man looked down at the deep canyon, then looked up at the even denser forest, his brows furrowing even more deeply.

The man's name was Zhao Hongzhen. He was a reclusive member of the Zhao family and had been practicing in the Jingyang Mountains since he retired ten years ago. He was most skilled in using two-handed swords.

This time, due to the clan chief's order, he received news from the clan. During the previous fight, he gave up a knife in exchange for a wound on Lin Qiguang's back.

They thought they could easily catch up by following the scent of blood, but after chasing for most of the day, they still hadn't found anything, and now they had two directions to choose from.

"The opposite side is the territory of the Skylarks. If strangers intrude, they will surely be alerted. Let's go down and take a look first."

Zhao Hongzhen muttered to himself, glanced at the still quiet opposite cliff, looked back down at his feet, and then leaped.

But by sheer coincidence, just as his left foot touched the air, he heard a sharp whistle coming from the dense forest behind him, causing Zhao Hongzhen to brake suddenly in mid-air and then spin and land on the ground.

"How come there's an emergency whistle?!"

Zhao Hongzhen muttered something to himself, and this time he didn't stop at all, turning into a blur and returning along the way he came.

Could it be that they've found that person?

The Jingyang Mountains are rarely visited and are usually peaceful. The only reason for the emergency call now is this.

……

"What! A summons from the patriarch? And two-thirds of the reclusive martial artists are to be mobilized?" Upon hearing this news and the recently announced list of those going out, Zhao Hongzhen felt like he was hallucinating.

He thought he had caught the "rat" that had broken into Jingyang Mountain, but who would have thought that he would have to leave the Jingyang Mountain range and go out with the head of the family.

However, the Zhao family's reclusive martial artists never emerge from seclusion unless the family is in dire need.

This is an ancestral precept that has been passed down for hundreds of years.

"The details will be explained to everyone when we meet the patriarch later," a reclusive elder who appeared to be around fifty years old said calmly after surveying the surroundings.

"I've just found some traces of that person," Zhao Hongzhen said hesitantly.

"I will personally lead the team from now on."

"This... I will follow the head of the family's arrangements."

Looking at the solemn expression on the reclusive elder's face, Zhao Hongzhen finally nodded, while also looking forward to the upcoming operation.

His seclusion and cultivation were for the purpose of reaching higher levels. His current martial arts realm is enough to make him the envy of his contemporaries. If he gets a chance to make a move on this trip, he will bring glory to the Zhao family! In this way, a hundred years later, his name, Zhao Hongzhen, can be engraved in gold and placed in the ancestral hall, to be worshipped by future generations.

"There's no time to lose, let's set off immediately. The patriarch is already waiting at Longyang Fort."

A figure moved about in the woods, and suddenly a loud sound was heard, startling a large flock of birds into the air.

……

On the highest floor of Longyang Fort, in the family patriarch's private study, Zhao Feibai stood with his hands behind his back on the balcony, gazing at the distant green mountains and clear waters.

"In this era of great competition, those who do not fight and compete will ultimately be eliminated! My Zhao family has accumulated wealth for generations, and it is time for us to stand up and fight."

"The rumors are indeed terrifying, but in the end, people are still swayed by self-interest."

When it comes to family interests, Lin Qiguang seems insignificant.

Zhao Feibai's eyes were deep. Although he could still tell how terrifying Mr. Lu was from the news he heard from the people in front of him, he had not seen it with his own eyes.

With a sliver of hope remaining in his heart, coupled with the family's millennia-old heritage, he ultimately decided to take the plunge.

The Zhao family should no longer remain content with their isolated existence!

Zhao Feibai's gaze hardened as he looked at the vast expanse of land and sky before him and spoke indifferently:

"Luan Yan, the reclusive elder is hidden within the group. You will make the first move to test the waters."

A burly man with a thick beard emerged from the shadows of the study behind them, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and boomed, "Yes!"

Zhao Feibai nodded. Hearing the loud voice behind him, a surge of pride rose from the bottom of his heart, and even his vision seemed to expand further.

But he didn't know that because his back was to the study, he didn't see Zhao Luanyan's conflicted expression.

Zhao Luanyan never mentioned that he had been slapped away by Elder Tantai Zhongyi, and the Zhao family's attendants would not report such an embarrassing incident to the family head. He came back to seek help.

To be honest, when I heard Tantai Zhongyi's dead ball not long ago, I felt as if an invisible mountain that had been pressing on my back had been overturned. The feeling of exhilaration almost made me shout out loud, and I even wanted to thank Mr. Lu, whom I had never met before!

But before he could even enjoy himself for two minutes, the head of the family instructed him to test that Mr. Lu. Wasn't that like sticking his head out of a tiger's mouth—courting death?

But if he refused, it would be too embarrassing for him to bear the title of the Zhao family's first retainer.

I've agreed now, and I'll act when the time is right.

So after some self-reflection, the idea of ​​becoming the chief retainer was realized.

……

Three days later.

The new town of Songshi is already quite impressive. From a distance, the antique buildings stand side by side, blending perfectly with the trees of varying heights.

Moreover, unlike before when only Song family construction workers were working in the vast area, now the construction workers are nowhere to be seen, and Song family warriors are standing guard at the entrance. The neatly arranged shops have even been put into use.

Near the entrance to the new town, many people gathered in front of the various shops and stalls, and caravans of all sizes passed by on the roads of the new town, creating a lively scene.

Anyone who comes here will be amazed by the extraordinary atmosphere of this town.

However, upon closer inspection, it is not difficult to find that apart from the main Song clan members, the population of the new town is almost entirely composed of scattered people from nearby counties, towns, and villages.

"Uncle, could you please pack me a Jade Dew Pastry Mountain?"

On this sunny morning, a young woman stood on tiptoe in front of an ice cream stand, pretending to be serious as she pointed at the wooden bucket full of ice cream, clearly happy.

On her shoulder, a chubby little creature suddenly looked displeased, turned its head, and protested, "Eeya!"

"Okay, boss, two portions, please!"

The Pharaoh's eyes widened, and he grunted in agreement, "Ee."

The owner, who had just set up his stall and was already open for business, looked at the incredibly cute Pokémon with admiration and replied with a smile, "Alright!"

After the owner quickly packed two servings of milk ice cream, the two people, one big and one small, snatched the ice cream away and turned to leave, clearly impatient.

"Hmm, so refreshing..." The girl squinted her eyes in satisfaction. Although the hidden danger of fire poison in her body had been cleared away by her master, her habit of craving coolness remained. Before cultivation, a cup of Su Shan made her feel refreshed, and after cultivation, a cup of Su Shan made her mind clear.

"babble……"

The Pharaoh jumped back onto the girl's shoulder, gave a perfunctory reply, then leaned against the cliff spear on the girl's back, inhaling... inflating... ah...

It swallowed the ice cream and leaves together in one gulp.

hiccup~

The Pharaoh let out a comfortable burp, then rubbed his round belly and started sunbathing.

The girl was eating as she walked, carrying a long spear on her back, with a lazy, slumped fur ball sitting on her shoulder. This harmonious and amusing scene brought smiles to many people's faces, but no one actually laughed out loud, and no one dared to point at the girl and make comments.

"Miss Xinghuo, when will Mr. Lu emerge from seclusion today?" Suddenly, a gentle yet slightly ingratiating voice rang out from the side.

When people on the street saw the middle-aged man who suddenly appeared, especially after they saw his face clearly, they were startled and quickly walked away.

Elder Tianhua, the head of the Song family, Zhang Xinghuo, Mr. Lu's chief disciple, and Mr. Lu's only pet, that ball.

When these three get together, it can get a bit chaotic, so it's best for outsiders not to get involved.

……

The girl was taken aback, turned her head to look, and said in a crisp voice, "Elder Song, it's just past eight o'clock, many people haven't even eaten yet."

Zhang Xinghuo was a perceptive girl. Her unspoken message was that she hadn't eaten yet, having just had a light snack, and it seemed rather impolite of her to inquire about her master's whereabouts.

Upon hearing this, Song Tianhua rubbed his hands somewhat embarrassedly and said with a forced smile, "I reckon there are other family members visiting today, so some matters will probably require Mr. Lu's decision."

"This town is called Song Family New Town. Can't Elder Song make decisions on these matters?" The girl spoke without any politeness.

"Miss Xinghuo is absolutely right, but we don't yet know who the family is, and today is only the first day..."

"This is such a small matter, why should Master need to intervene? Xinghuo is willing to share some of the burden for Master. Let me accompany you to broaden your horizons later, shall I?" A sly glint flashed in the girl's eyes, but her tone was cool.

This completely baffled Song Tianhua. He glanced at the tall girl carrying the Cliff Edge Spear and his lips twitched slightly.

You are indeed a martial arts genius, but to be honest, your martial arts strength is not as high as mine... The family that came today must have brought important members of the clan, which is not even in the same league.

"Alright, just kidding." Zhang Xinghuo finished his ice cream in a few bites and said with a smile, "After I paid my respects to Master this morning, he brought up this matter himself. He will come to find Elder Song after we finish eating later."

Upon hearing this, Song Tianhua's face immediately lit up with a smile. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "I wonder if Miss Xinghuo has had breakfast yet? If not, I'll act as your guide and introduce you to the delicacies of the Song family."

"Well, Elder Song... I'm a local."

"Haha, it was I who forgot. Miss Xinghuo is a divine being who is with Mr. Lu. It always makes one forget about her background." Song Tianhua suddenly realized and apologized repeatedly.

"It's nothing, Elder Song, please go ahead and attend to your business. I will inform you if Master comes out." The girl smiled, revealing dimples. Although she knew Song Tianhua was flattering her, his words were really sweet.

After bidding farewell to Song Tianhua in a cheerful mood, Zhang Xinghuo headed towards the steamed bun shop not far away, where the large steamed buns with green bean and meat filling were the most delicious.

After things are settled here in a couple of days, I can go and bring my brother over. My master has already promised to check on his injuries.

With a true deity like Master taking action, my brother really has a chance to recover!

With all worries gone and an excellent opportunity for cultivation, Zhang Xinghuo no longer had to endure the elements... Whenever he thought of this, a great sense of happiness welled up in his heart, and at the same time, he secretly strengthened his determination to become the strongest blade in his master's hands!

She will never be a burden; she will prove to the world that her master's decision to take her as his disciple was the right one!

After sitting down at the small table and stuffing three steamed buns into my hands, the melodious sound of bells suddenly drifted from afar.

That voice...

"Eek!" The Pharaoh pricked up his ears first, then looked at the girl and pointed over there.

"Yes, we have guests."

Zhang Xinghuo put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth clean in an orderly manner, and then got up and walked outside.

……

In Songjia New Town, outside the solemn tree gate stands a magnificent and enormous square.

At this moment, a group of martial artists with imposing presence and powerful strides stepped into the square.

The leader is Zhao Feibai!

Happy New Year everyone!! Hehe

(End of this chapter)